The anticipated $2.83 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) in Plymouth Township will be used following some basic guidelines detailed by Supervisor Kurt Heise during a recent public hearing regarding priorities for the funding.
Heise said he was making recommendations for the use of the federal funds based on specific criteria including: projects that benefit the largest number of residents; projects that are supported by an identifiable need, plan, survey or study; projects that promote public recreation, wellness, safety and quality of life; projects that could be matched or leveraged with additional funds and projects that can be justified to the federal government in the event of a future audit.
Heise said he was suggesting six township projects, including: a sidewalk gap replacement program ($700,000 in 2022 and $700,000 in 2023 along with $200,000 in general funds each year); a new ambulance ($275,000 in 2022); walkways and recreational amenities for Golfview Park ($450,000 in 2022 along with $135,000 in Wayne County Park funds); a new Ann Arbor Trail entrance to Hilltop Golf Course ($170,000); a project that would repair and replace a section of driveway into Plymouth Township Park ($450,000) and a second senior transport van ($25,000 plus $25,000 in matching donations).
Heise told the audience at the public hearing that his proposed projects were a starting point and open for discussion.
“Keep in mind that we cannot use ARPA funds to cut taxes, pay off bonds or debts, pay off judgments, or pay pension or OPEB obligations,” Heise said. “We also cannot just push these funds into our general fund budget and burn through them over the next four years.”
Two residents of Plymouth Township subdivisions spoke during the March 8 hearing strongly urging using the funding to repair pothole riddled streets in their neighborhoods.
Heise acknowledged the poor condition of the streets but said that the $2.83 million would be “only a drop in the bucket” with the current cost of road repairs and construction. He said that one mile of road repair would cost nearly $1 million at prices today. He added that Wayne County should be repairing the roads and “It's going to tens of millions of dollars to fix our roads.”
Another resident said he opposed the sidewalk filling program Heise had suggested as it would encourage the school district to cancel bus service in some areas, forcing children to walk to school. He said he felt that was a safety issue due to the attitude of drivers on the roads.
“Society has changed the past 10 years. Probably one out of two drivers these days are looking at their phone or on social media. I don't feel safe letting my kids walk up to Picnic Basket or even ride their bikes in the neighborhoods,” he said.
Trustee Chuck Curmi agreed that times and society have changed. He said that it used to be desirable to have a school in the neighborhood but that is no longer the case. He said the proposed sidewalk fill-in project as an effort to decrease the lines of cars during school pick-up and drop-off times.
“You know the world is upside down when parents are coming in saying they don't want sidewalks,” Curmi said.
